What it was like living through the hottest month in Earth’s recorded history

July of 2019 is officially the hottest month in recorded history. Humanity’s experiment of pumping greenhouse gases in to the atmosphere is producing results that are frighteningly consistent with our predictions. The climate crisis is here.

One of scientists’ predictions has been for more frequent and intense heatwaves. While the global average temperature has risen by about 1°C, in small pockets people might experience daily temperatures as high as 20°C above average—spikes that can have devastating consequences. From human health, transportation systems, and environmental stability to animal safety, civic peace, and water and energy availability, every element of modern life can be affected by such extreme temperatures.

All this happened with a global average temperature rise of about 1°C compared to the pre-industrial period. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that, at current trajectory, the world will warm between 3°C and 4°C by 2100.